This article should not be confused with Self-injury, which can include this general term but self-inflicted wound is more specific to self wounds inflicted during a war

A self-inflicted wound (SIW), is the act of harming oneself where there are no underlying psychological problems related to the self-injury, but where the injurer wanted to take advantage of being injured.

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Most self-inflicted wounds occur during wartime, for various possible reasons.

Potential draftees may self-injure in order to avoid being drafted for health reasons.

The most common reason enlisted soldiers self-wound is to render themselves unable to continue serving in combat, thus resulting in their removal from the combat line to a hospital. Thus, self-injury can be used to avoid a more serious combat injury or a combat death.

In most militaries, deliberately self-inflicted wounds are considered to be a serious military offense. Most self-inflicted wounds go unnoticed, though consequences are often severe if caught.

In the British army during World War I, the penalty for self-inflicted wound was capital punishment, which at that time was death by firing squad. In the British Army, some 3,894 men were found guilty, though none were executed but instead were sent to prison for lengthy periods.[1][2]

In Nazi concentration camps, self-injury was dangerous as the incapacitated were often just executed, but in some lower-stringency camps it has indeed been documented.

A self-inflicted wound (SIW), was the act of harming oneself during military combat. It is considered to be a highly serious wartime military offense. The most common type of wounds usually involved a rifle shot to the hand or foot, which made the soldier unable to continue on serving in combat. It was believed that most self-inflicted wounds were unnoticed, though consequences were severe if caught. In the British army during World War I, the penalty for self-inflicted wound was capital punishment, which at that time was death by firing squad. In the British Army, some 3,894 men were found guilty, though none were executed but instead were sent to prison for lengthy periods.[3][2] There have been many reports of SIW during World War I, placing certain soldiers under suspicion for some injuries which could have been genuine accidents.[2]